Happy Birthday to a VERY SPECIAL LADY!

Prayer for the Day

O Virgin Mary, grant that the recitation of thy Rosary may be for me each day, in the midst of my manifold duties, a bond of unity in my actions, a tribute of filial piety, a sweet refreshment, an encouragement to walk joyfully along the path of duty. Grant, above all, O Virgin Mary, that the study of thy twenty mysteries may form in my soul, little by little, a luminous atmosphere, pure, strengthening, and fragrant, which may penetrate my understanding, my will, my heart, my memory, my imagination, my whole being. So shall I acquire the habit of praying while I work, without the aid of formal prayers, by interior acts of admiration and of supplication, or by aspirations of love. I ask this of thee, O Queen of the Holy Rosary, through Saint Dominic, thy son of predilection, the renowned preacher of thy mysteries, and the faithful imitator of thy virtues. Amen

Reflection

Happy Birthday, Mary!

The Birth of Mary is a simple fact of her life. Turning our thoughts to it, we are able to recall the Immaculate Conception, Mary conceived without sin.

For the past few days, knowing that this feast day was coming up, I’ve been trying to picture Mary as a little girl about my granddaughter Lily’s age.

For instance, Lily has been showing a pretty strong (contrary) will of her own lately; testing the boundaries of her Mommy’s and Mar Mar’s patience.  I wonder if Mary ever tried the patience of St. Joachim and St. Anne.  I doubt it.  My sense of humor being what it is, I just this second thought of the ditty, “Mary, Mary, quite contrary!"  While I’m sure it was not written with Mother Mary in mind, I still think it was funny that I thought of it.  I digress.

God's plan for Mary is on our minds today. But, at her birth, this was all in the shadows. For many people the meaning of the Blessed Virgin Mary is still in the shadows.

I was listening to “The Best of Mother Angelica Live” this morning on the radio, and a (then) 6-year-old child called in to ask her, “How come God chose Mary to be the Mother of God?” Mother Angelica explained it quite well (better than I could have, that’s for sure!) and the kid apparently was satisfied, because there was no follow-up.  What she explained was that God did not “choose” Mary; rather, He created her for the sole purpose of bearing Jesus and He loved her so much He even gave her the free will to say “no”!  Of course, since she was “full of grace”, and quite well instructed in Scripture, she knew in her heart that her “yes” would be the greatest way to thank Him for His wonderful gift of life to her, and for His gift of salvation to all of mankind, and so—in her love for Him—she assented to become the bride of the Holy Spirit.

We have to reflect on what is God's work, her vocation, and the consequence of her "fiat." Then, led by faith the Blessed Virgin Mary is a glory and splendor of God at work.

The Church's prayer on her birthday, "The birth of the Virgin Mary's Son was the dawn of our salvation," leads us to Jesus, the fruit of the womb of the Holy Mother.

Micah speaks of this dawn of salvation and the instrument of God's will by prophesying, "Until the time when she who is to give birth has borne." This fulfills the place of Bethlehem in salvation history. It is a sign that restoration of the Kingdom will occur and the Shepherd will care for the flock. "He shall be their peace."

On this birthday feast of Our Blessed Mother, may the peace of her Son, Jesus Christ be with you all.

He takes delight in all of us

Prayer for the Day

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Keep us from being preoccupied with money and worldly goods, and with trying to increase them at the expense of justice.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth." Help us not to be ruthless with one another, and to eliminate the discord and violence that exists in the world around us.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Let us not be impatient under our own burdens and unconcerned about the burdens of others.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be filled." Make us thirst for You, the fountain of all holiness, and actively spread Your influence in our private lives and in society.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Grant that we may be quick to forgive and slow to condemn.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." Free us from our senses and our evil desires, and fix our eyes on You.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Aid us to make peace in our families, in our country, and in the world.

Lord Jesus, You said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of justice, for the kingdom of heaven in theirs." Make us willing to suffer for the sake of right rather than to practice injustice; and do not let us discriminate against our neighbors and oppress and persecute them.  Amen

Reflection

On a spiritual level we may sometimes, like the erratic and severe weather in the US this summer (on top of many people already being unemployed and unsure of their future), experience dry times, upheavals and disturbances. One might be tempted to ask: "Where is God in all of this? Is He aware of all the suffering?" At times we can forget that Christ never promised that life would be easy for a Christian. The lives of the apostles and saints are testimony to that.

In the Sermon on the Plain, Christ reminds us that we are blessed. (Luke 6: 20-23)

Whether we are experiencing grief or poverty, we remain blessed and we are still good. Perhaps Christ anticipated the question we hear a lot these days: "What did I do to deserve this?"

Those negative misgivings can interfere with one's healing physically and spiritually.  Sarah’s Facebook message yesterday was a real shot in the arm for me!  I propose we start each day fresh remembering that God loves us, we are blessed, and that He takes delight in all of us.

Better late than never!

WooHoo!  Vermont has shown up!  Welcome! I have now been visited by every state/commonwealth in the US!  Thank you!  I hope you enjoy my reflections!  Let me know what you think. 

Hoping to be a "perfect fit"

Prayer for the Day

Dear Jesus, help me to be a “good interview” with You.  Find me to worthy to be a perfect “fit” in Your plans for the Glory of the Father. Amen

Reflection

Personnel departments and managers spend hours poring over resumes and letters of recommendation, looking for the “right” person to hire.  The needs of a position matched with an applicant’s adequate credentials are needed for the perfect “fit.”

Whatever happened that night when Jesus spent hours “in communion with God” we don’t know for sure, but most of us who are in positions to interview and hire would be amazed at “the Twelve” whom He selected from the disciples to be His most intimate followers and co-laborers.  Of the twelve, here is a sampling of their “job performance”:  one denied knowing Him when questioned about their relationship, two others were hot-tempered and rash (“Call down fire from heaven to destroy them!”), one wouldn’t believe without seeing, and one, finally, betrayed Him, handing Him over to those who would put Him to death.  So much for careful screening!

But then again, with the exception of the last, all underwent remarkable transformations—conversions—leading them to become fearless proclaimers of the Name, even to their own deaths.  I guess it’s true what I read somewhere: if it is true that God often calls those who are qualified, it is also true that He “qualifies” those whom He calls. 

There is encouragement here for all those who “have been called.”  God often provides “on the job training,” drawing out of us what we did not know was there, and transforming us into His instruments in ways we could not possibly imagine.  When faced with their inadequacies, all—with one exception—acknowledged their weakness and professed their faith anew.  Therein is found the seed of conversion and deeper witness.  Peter’s “Lord, you know that I love you” and Thomas’ “My Lord and my God” show us how to respond in the face of our own inadequacies and failures. 

May we, in discovering our shortcomings, allow the Lord to “qualify” us for the task to which he has called us.

Post Script:

As I was getting ready to post this, Sarah put the following message on Facebook:  “I live a pretty blessed life.”  After responding with, “I agree.  Praise God” I got to thinking about Jesus in today’s Gospel.

News travels so fast in our modern, electronic world that we often fail to realize what actually happened two thousand years ago. Without the aid of newspapers, the internet, cell phones and text messages and countless other communication methods, the message and promise of one man spread with great speed and ease across great distances. The message and promise were so strong that multitudes came to Him in great numbers to hear Him and to be healed.

This man was none other than God Incarnate, in the form of His Son, Jesus the Christ. This, my brothers and sisters, is just one more miracle (although it is not commonly recognized as one) and shows the awesome power of the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of the people without modern methods.

Having some fun with a "time capsule" of sorts

About 10 years ago this summer an e-mail was circulating around in the mailboxes of my friends and family.  It was a silly little survey that asked about favorite colors (mine is green), books (Bible), hair color (Hair??) and similar dumb things.  For a reason known only to her, Mom printed the answers she gave, along with those given by me, by my kids, and a sister-in-law, then filed them away.  She came across them the other day and we were reading them.  It was like opening a time capsule.  For older (not “old”, but “older”) folks like me, the answers would probably stay pretty much the same today as then.  In fact, as Mom was reading them to me, I was answering with exactly the same answers!  A few of the answers had obviously changed for my kids, who were, shall we say, not as mature as they are now.  Alicia is now a Mommy (and a very good one at that!).  Sarah is an attorney specializing in immigration law.  Both are not the answers they gave 10 years ago to the question “What do you want to do for a living?  (Alicia answered with “stage actress, although it’s really hard and lousy pay” while Sarah answered “probably a college professor or teacher.” 

I find it odd that the question that I have reflected on the most since reading them is “What is your favorite number?”  I will never forget that Sarah has always said that her favorite number is thirty-thousand.  Go figure.  My favorite number since my earliest memories has been forty-seven.  I told Mom that I think it was because I was born in 1953 and that I would be 47 in the year 2000.   But the really strange thing about that is that the more I have thought about it, the more I realize that I remember it being my favorite since before I could do math, even before I started attending school!   So that can’t be it.  I guess we can have a favorite number without a reason, but that’s not my style.** 

I can’t believe I did this, but I actually asked the Holy Spirit to help me as I reflected on the number 47.  I guess because I asked for His help, I came up with a “spiritual” answer. (lol)

The number 47 is the sum of two (equally) important numbers, 40 plus 7. 

The number 40 appears about 160 times in the Bible, representing times of God’s preparation, protection, and provision. For instance, God protected Noah as the rain fell for 40 days. The Lord miraculously sustained Moses 40 days on the mountain, and also Elijah during his 40 days running across the wilderness. And of course, God prepared the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering.  Another way to look at it is the number 40 usually represents a “test of faith” or “trial” of some sort, and was almost always concluded with a blessing for God’s chosen people.

Seven.  The number of perfection.  The number of Sacraments.  The number of “completion”.  The number of gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The number of days God took for the creation.  The number that can win lots or lose lots at the craps table.  (Sorry for that last one; I couldn’t resist!)

**Or it could be that I just thought 47 was a cool number.  It’s not my style now, but way back when (some would say now) I had no style.

We are a people of hope

Prayer for the Day

O Saint Joseph, we pray to you for those who are out of work, for those who want to earn their living or support their families.

You who are the patron of workers; grant that unemployment may vanish from our ranks; that all those who are ready to work may put their strength and abilities in serving their fellowmen and earn a just salary.

You are the patron of families; do not let those who have children to support and raise lack the necessary means. Have pity on our brothers and sisters held down in unemployment and poverty because of sickness or social disorders. Help our political leaders and captains of industry find new and just solutions. May each and every one have the joy of contributing, according to his abilities, to the common prosperity by an honorable livelihood. Grant that we may all share together in the abundant goods God has given us and that we may help underprivileged countries. Amen.

Reflection

Here we are again; Labor Day in the U.S., a day to honor the goodness of work. Isn’t it timely that Luke has Jesus curing the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, a day of rest? It brings up questions among the scribes and Pharisees about the appropriateness of Jesus “working” on the Sabbath. (Luke 6:6-11)  Is there an appropriate time for prayer and healing????  I say the answer to that question is, “Every waking moment.”

Paul speaks of the mystery of Christ in us. (Colossians 1:24–2:3)  It is God’s energy within us that helps us to “do good work” at any time.  The best “good work” I can think of is prayer for those who are suffering, either physically or emotionally.  And there are plenty of both types of suffering due to the high unemployment rate in the US.

The Psalmist prays: "only in God will my soul be at rest…”  (Psalm 62:6-7, 9)  So true.

Labor Day in the US is supposed to be a day of rest and celebration.  Many Americans probably feel there is nothing to celebrate, considering the high unemployment rate we are experiencing. To those I say, “Take heart!  God will triumph!”  Take your needs to Him through Jesus Christ.   

His Excellency Stephen Blaire, the Bishop of the Diocese of Stockton CA (my own diocese) is the chairman of the Bishop’s Conference Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

A statement was released by that committee  today, dated September 5, 2011.  Here is the concluding statement:

For Christians, it is not enough to acknowledge current difficulties. We are people of hope, committed to prayer, to help those facing hard time and to work with others to build a better economy. Our faith gives strength, direction and confidence in these tasks. As Pope Benedict encourages us:

On this earth there is room for everyone: here the entire human family must find the resources to live with dignity, through the help of nature itself--God’s gift to his children--and through hard work and creativity (Caritas in Veritate, no. 50).

We must remember that at the heart of everything we do as believers must be love, for it is love which honors the dignity of work as participation in the act of God’s creation, and it is love which values the dignity of the worker, not just for the work he or she does, but above all for the person he or she is. This call of love is also a work of faith and an expression of hope.

On this Labor Day in 2011, in the midst of continuing economic turmoil, we are called to renew our commitment to the God-given task of defending human life and dignity, celebrating work, and defending workers with both hope and conviction. This is a time for prayer, reflection, and action. In the words of our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI:

The current crisis obliges us to re-plan our journey, to set ourselves new rules and to discover new forms of commitment, to build on positive experiences and to reject negatives ones. The crisis thus becomes an opportunity for discernment, in which to shape a new vision for the future (Caritas in Veritate, no. 21).

Read the entire statement here.

The Spirit of the Law

Prayer for the Day

O Heavenly Father, You call us to live in the light of Christ; may His guidance form our lives in Your truth and our hearts in Your love.  Amen.

Reflection

Rules, human traditions, and lots of expectations don’t seem to matter very much to Jesus in Luke’s Gospel.  For Jesus, it’s all about who is called and who sits at table to break bread.  He calls as friends and Apostles fishermen and prostitutes, Zealot Party members and Pharisees.  He dines with the power brokers and those utterly rejected by society. 

Jesus rebuffs some Pharisees for putting cultic law before the genuine needs of people; needs like hunger. (Luke 6:1-5)   He says pointedly, “The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.”  In other words, while the Mosaic Law stipulates rest and forbids harvest work on the Sabbath, people cannot be nourished with God’s word if they are physically hungry. 

When legalists refuse to interpret the law in the light of the spirit in which it was given, it is used to entice us to sin. In keeping the law, like the Pharisees, let’s not become experts at avoiding its commands. God’s law requires mercy and compassion.

I am reminded in this reflection of Supreme Court “Justices” who have interpreted the freedom OF religion (the right of every citizen to choose his or her own religion as opposed to establishing a “state religion”) in the Constitution as freedom FROM religion.  And I am reminded of legislators who have used that obviously flawed interpretation to remove prayer from schools, take away “conscience clauses” for medical providers who refuse to dispense birth control or perform abortions, and make end runs around the electorate to allow same-sex unions and call it “marriage.” 

We must pray continually for people of law and authority in the world who, given the burden of responsibility to make just decisions affecting the lives of others, will be surrounded by the Holy Spirit.

Joy in the Presence of the Lord

Prayer for the Day

O Blessed Lord, You have drawn us into the circle of Your life.  Open us to accept the wonders of this new life to carry forth Your will, a life of love, justice and mercy.   Amen.

Reflection

"Come with joy into the presence of the Lord."  (Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5) This psalm calls most of us to make a change in our attitude.  The psalmist calls us to sing with gladness because we know the LORD is the God that created us and tends to us like the shepherd does the sheep.  We should enter God's gates with thanksgiving and praise because the LORD's kindness endures forever.

Look around you in a crowd, at work, in a classroom, or in church.  Watch people during your morning commute, or when they are at play.  How many people are smiling, echoing an inner joy; how many people seem happy with where they are and what they are doing?  If we truly believe that God is all about us throughout creation, then every minute of every day we are in the presence of the LORD.  It would make sense that we come with joy into that presence!  Most of us feel awed by the sunrise, the flutter of a butterfly's wings, the persistence of the ant, the life force of a weed, or the color of a rainbow—Don’t we recognize God’s hand it this?  Do we smile with gratitude and joy when we see people treating each other with respect?  Do we express thanks and praise each minute of each day that we are in the presence of the LORD? 

This psalm reminds me of a conversation I had after Mass last Sunday with a deacon and the sacristan about the altar servers at our parish.  The bells are rung during the consecration, but you’d never know it!  It’s almost like they’re embarrassed to ring the bells for fear of waking up the congregation!  So the last couple of Sunday’s I have taken it upon myself to find the altar server who was in charge of ringing the bells and encourage him/her to ANNOUNCE THE PRESENCE of our LORD by ringing the bells LOUD AND LONG! As I write this reflection, I have to wonder if I “practice what I preach” as I witnessed at a Mass recently in Bakersfield.

The altar server was obviously aware of the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  I could tell because the second the priest held up the Host and said “This IS My Body”, the server rang the bell loudly.  He kept ringing it until the priest placed the Host back on the altar and genuflected.  What was so profound for me was that both the priest and the server were smiling a joyful smile as the Host was held high for at least 30 seconds and the server didn’t stop ringing the bell once!  The same happened at the consecration of the wine into the Precious Blood of Jesus.  The obvious joy of the priest and altar server at being in the presence of Christ Himself was contagious and made this Eucharistic celebration one I will try to remember every time I approach the altar to receive our Lord and whenever I am privileged to present our Lord to others in my duties as a Eucharistic Minister.

I don't smile as much as I would like.  I let the cares of the world, the burdens of life, and the responsibilities of being a husband, son, father, grandfather, and “breadwinner” cloud my joy in just being in God's presence.  I know I need an attitude change.  So my prayer today is for the grace to smile more, to be more confident in God's care and less burdened by my self-imposed expectations - to be more joyful. And to try and spread that joy that comes with knowing that I am in the presence of God always!

On prayer

Prayer for the Day

O Jesus, help me to obey You, even when Your command may not seem logical to my human understanding, especially when my own poor efforts have failed to produce results.

Amen.

Reflection

“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God …humility is the foundation of prayer.  Only when we humbly acknowledge that ‘we do not know how to pray as we ought,’ are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2559).  Prayer is a loving gift from God to us, His beloved.  Prayer is the manifestation of a relationship.  Prayer is what God does for me.  God initiates and I respond.  God loved me first and from all time.  God wants to love me more and more.  He wants to give to me.

Paul, when speaking to the Colossians, referred to their faith as the reason for his praying for them.  Paul says that he is praying that God will gift the Colossians into a rich and personal relationship.  The result of this prayerful relationship will be “knowledge and spiritual insight….You will multiply good works of every sort and grow in the knowledge of God.  By the might of his glory you will be endowed with the strength needed to stand fast, even to endure joyfully whatever may come….”(Colossians 1:9-14)  We recognize here the gifts of the Holy Spirit – knowledge, patience, and peace. 

In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus demonstrates that we cannot succeed alone, and that obedience to His command is the key. (Luke 5:1-11) In spite of having worked hard all night with nothing to show for it, Peter, nonetheless, tells Jesus, "At your command I will lower the nets." As soon as he does, bingo! Peter hits the jackpot and hauls in more fish than his boat can hold! He is overwhelmed, recognizes a huge miracle, and fear from a realization of his sins grips him in the presence of God. But Jesus tells him, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."

The gospel goes on to tell us, "When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him." I find it a bit humorous, imagining those hundreds of wet, floppy fish glistening in sun; abandoned by the men who hauled them in. But in another way, I find it quite sad.  This was the “family business” after all, and this catch would have gone a long way to helping support their families.  Looking at the bigger picture though, they were going after "bigger fish," and following Jesus, ready to learn to "catch men," as He promised.

In the end, it's not about the fish. It's about Jesus.

Prayer is not something I do alone and for myself.  Prayer is a state of being ready and predisposed and eager and longing for the Lord to draw me closer and more deeply into a personal relationship with the Lord.  This relationship can only end in a more fulfilling and satisfying love of God, a deeper richer knowledge of the Lord, an outpouring of love and service to others, and a deep sense of peace. As with Peter, Jesus knows my sin and brokenness.  Jesus wants me to know His gentle healing love.  This is the gift of the Lord.  It is not something I can earn.  What I can do is sit quietly and be ready, for He will come.  The good news is that He loves me too much to keep His distance!

Admitting it is the first step to recovery

Prayer for the Day

“Lord, give me a bigger vision of you and your power to transform. I want to help spread your kingdom in this world!”

Reflection

I am a procrastinator. It’s been proven by my actions, but I don’t often admit it. I am sure it comes as no surprise to those around me as I offer excuses, turn things in late or push deadlines to their limits.  In fact, even though I’ve been thinking about it every day for about a week, I just now (11:30 pm on August 30^th) ordered flowers to be delivered to Marilyn for her birthday tomorrow.

Imagine my surprise when I read tomorrow’s gospel! (Luke 4:38-44) It was right on topic! Talk about procrastinators!  I imagine Jesus had been in town for quite a while, and when the crowds got news He was about to leave, all of a sudden they want Him to stay! Jesus tells the crowds who come looking for Him and want Him to stay longer that He has to go to other towns: “I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 

I, too, have a purpose: To live my life in the light, working, relaxing and praying, all the while knowing that I tried to live up to the good God sees in me. Procrastination blocks the light and perhaps serves as a mask to my fear of failure or not measuring up.

I want my life to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God. I want to stop putting off what needs to be done and to make the most of what is here and now instead of waiting until tomorrow. By opening myself to God, by praying for the strength and courage to do what needs to be done and beyond, I know I am opening myself to the light.

When I am praying for that strength and courage, I also am reminded by the first reading (Colossians 1:1-8) to give thanks for the people in my life. Truly, my family, my friends, my colleagues are a miracle every day. I am blessed with riches beyond measure.

I pray today (I won’t put it off until tomorrow!) for God’s help that I live that life of purpose. And I thank God for all of the people who have made my life so wonderful; especially my beautiful wife Marilyn.  Without her in my life, I would be so lost. I am grateful to God that He blesses our marriage in so many ways.  Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!  I love you.  I hope you like the flowers.  They aren’t as beautiful as you are, but then what is?  Sometimes we just have to “settle”, even if we don’t procrastinate.

Children of the Light

Prayer for the Day

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?  The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?” Psalms 27

Reflection

Paul calls us “children of the light”.  (1Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11) How do we know that we are children of the light? 

I think the only truthful answer is, “we don’t”, not with absolute certainty.  Yet, even without certitude, we can have confidence in the authority of Jesus who has the power to deliver us from darkness.  Like the man in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 4:31-37), we all suffer with “unclean spirits” of various kinds.  Hopefully none of us is as debilitated by them as the person in this Gospel was by his.  Still, these spirits, whatever they are, are a form of darkness that can threaten to overwhelm us.  To these demons, we must respond with the words of Jesus, “Be quiet!” and trust in the power of Christ to transform us.  Right before sleep is a good time to go “demon hunting”.  A good examination of conscience will help us find those “demons” that have kept us from the Light.  Then, saying the rosary to ask for our Blessed Mother’s intercession, we can call on Jesus to help rid us of them. Then, at our earliest convenience, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance will give us the grace we need to keep them at bay!

What we really need is Jesus' example of trust in God.  Often our world seems more dominated by evil forces destructive of human life and dignity than by forces supporting human life.  We may even wonder whether the power of evil is stronger than the power of good.

That’s when we need to remember that Jesus was not naive about the presence of evil in the world.   He was continually assaulted by evil forces and evil spirits; forces which eventually led to His crucifixion.  In spite of this He never yielded to despair, always remaining confident in the Father's love and care.  His anguished cry on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me," (Matthew 27:45-46, Psalms 22:1) reveals the depth of His anguish; but His final sigh uncovers the depth of His trust, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:44-46)

Our challenge is the same as Jesus': to live in communion with God, our most dear Father.   The Father is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  The world is in God's hands!  As we allow ourselves to be aligned more and more with God's power we become increasingly convinced with St. Paul that "nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Romans 8:35-39) and that the power of good in us is stronger than the power of evil.

Human thinking is way too limited

Prayer for the Day

“Holy Spirit, come and renew my way of thinking. I want to become a vessel of your grace and power, and I know I cannot do this on my own. Spirit, make your thoughts my thoughts and your desires my desires!”

Reflection

The boss planned on taking this weekend off, so I had to fill in for him.  This isn’t usually a problem, unless he is scheduled in the one department I am the weakest.  I feel so incompetent when I have to do this part of our job.  I also hate having to tell customers I can’t serve them properly because of the volume of business, and dearth of product. 

I managed to muddle my way through Friday, grousing and moping all day and generally dreading Saturday.  I could tell everyone was having fun with my discomfort at first, but as the day wore on they were getting a little tired of my juvenile whining.  I thought I knew how to fix that—I would pray that Jesus deliver me from having to work in that department by giving me something I knew how to do.  I’ve mentioned many times on this blog that I believe God answers my prayers.  I forgot that He answers them on His terms, not mine. 

So when my cell phone rang at about 9am, I thought, “Here is the phone call that will deliver me from this trap!”  And sure enough, it got me out of traffic.  Unfortunately, the message was that Mom had taken a tumble and hit her head and she was in the hospital!  I quickly left for home, praying for Mom’s health and a safe drive to see her, along with an aside to Jesus; “Lord, thank You for delivering me from Traffic Department duties, but did You have to be so dramatic?”  By the way, Mom just had a bump on her head and was being released just as I got to the doors of the hospital.  I had no wait at all!  Praise be to God.

In last Sunday’s readings, Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, and in this week's readings, he nearly gets them taken away from him! Jesus is so upset with him that He exclaims, "Get thee behind me, Satan." Tough language! Peter got himself in trouble for strongly protesting Jesus' prediction of His Passion. In effect, Jesus is telling His disciples, "I never promised you a rose garden!"  He could just as well have said, “Peter, I just made you the foreman of a project that will change the world, and you want to stand in the way of that progress by changing the Father’s eternal plan!  Stand back, shut up, and learn!”

He also chastises Peter for “thinking not as God does, but as humans do.”  Ouch.  That hit a nerve with me after the way He answered my simple prayer to get out of an unpleasant task this morning.  I was expecting to be asked to go out in the field and work with the managers or even transfer equipment around—anything to get me out of the traffic department!  Instead, He substituted one form of "suffering"--my discomfort at work--with another--my worry about Mom's condition!

If we think Jesus is unfair, His Father had done this before. Jeremiah, in the first reading, had been made a reluctant prophet. Jeremiah even claims that God duped him into the job. He's so angry and discouraged at the rough treatment he has to take from his own Jewish people that he decides to quit.

However, he can't get rid of the fire in his heart, so he continues to prophesy that Babylon was chosen as God's instrument for chastising Israel. Why? Because Israel was just plain unfaithful, and they deserved punishment. Not that the truth makes a prophet's job any easier!

God has called all of us to discipleship, and we must be prepared for opposition. It goes against popular thinking and popular belief to be either a prophet or an apostle. How about just a plain, ordinary Christian? We don't fare any better. We get criticized at home, at the office, and even sometimes in Church from more comfortable Church members.

How many times in our lives have we felt that Jesus' teaching was just too much? We don't like turning the other cheek, or forgiving seventy times seven. We don't like being criticized or even ridiculed for standing up for Church teaching on abortion, or contraception, or stem cell research - or the death penalty. Even if we're loyal and faithful we don’t get a break.  We still have suffering to endure, whether it be family squabbles, illnesses, old age, unexpected deaths of family or friends, or having to perform tasks we don’t feel qualified to handle.

St. Paul gives us some very good advice in today's second reading. (You might even mark your bible, even memorize it!) "Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" and "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."

Following Christ isn't for the faint of heart! We didn't know what life was really like when we were children, and neither did we know all the challenges of being a Catholic Christian. But that was a long time ago, and hopefully, we've grown up since then. So let's stir up our courage and readjust our priorities.

The cross is not an event of time, but the time-bound movement toward our own Jerusalems and resurrections. “Get up!” the voice said to Jeremiah, to Jesus, to Peter, and to each of us who hobble after the Master. We show up waiting for Him to show up and raise us all and that is the “conduct” of holiness.

Remember, as they say in the theater; there IS a final act!  It’s called Resurrection.

Got Talent?

Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord, help us to receive and come to appreciate the gifts You give us, to develop further and to share with others. Help us to be more generous in our love, risky in our generosity, and free from temptations to be less than You have created us to be.  Inspire us to see and trust Your gifts in others. Help us to call forth the gifts of others in our communities.  May we all one day be gathered to share Your joy.

On this day, the feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, who shadowed him with prayer and presence, seeking his conversion, help us to recognize and acknowledge how complicated—yet gratifying—mother-son relationships are from each side. We pray for all mothers and sons today.

Reflection

It is wonderful to pause today to remember that Jesus has entrusted to us - put us in charge of - tremendous resources.  For us who are baptized into him, they are truly his resources.  It is good to remember that I probably don't fully appreciate what I have been given, and therefore, what I have to invest.  And I probably don't fully appreciate the gifts that others around me have, and what resources they might be able to share.  Even when I am stretched and learn new skills - becoming a better listener, changing a long standing pattern and discovering a new ability, taking a risk that pays off many times over - the inspiration and gift is from the Lord.  Whether we are practicing better patience, greater self-confidence and courage, fuller chastity, deeper generosity, these are all fruits of his Spirit - given to us for the benefit of all, for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Matthew 25:14-30 is probably familiar to many of us: “To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one – to each according to his ability.” The first two took the talents and invested them; they took certain risks, and showed a profit—again, each according to his ability.

When he asked for an accounting from the third servant, all he got was an excuse for not even trying!  “Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.”

Did you catch that?  The third person who received only one talent is the only one who speaks of the Master in the language of “demanding, fear, burying, and returning one for one what he was given.”

Notice that the other two never speak about their negative reactions to their master. Rather, a generous, non-self-focused response to the gift of the talents evokes a generous, non-self-focused additional blessing from the master. The two that focus on the gift seem free to accept and honor what they have received.

It makes one wonder about the role of dealing with whatever gifts or talents a person has been given. Perhaps the person with the one talent resents knowing the limitations he/she has to go through life with. Maybe this person envies the others. Whatever the case, in the final analysis, it was fear of the master that drove the 3^rd servant in the gospel to bury the talent.

I will admit that I’m not the sharpest tack in the drawer, and I don’t claim to be a psychiatrist or psychologist (neither of those “talents” were gifted to me by the Father), and I’m not into the whole “power of positive thinking” bit; but, this gospel is an interesting little revelation about the possible connections between self-acceptance, self-estimation, and fear of the master. It seems to me that having a healthy balance of all three elements is what makes us worthy of the talents we are given, “each to our own ability.”

I wonder if it has to do with the way some of us already look at God. I wonder what this might look like lived out in one’s prayer life and life of service to others.

We can look to Saint Monica (or any other saint for that matter) for the answer to those queries.

Free "oil" for your "lamp"!

Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord, thank you for stirring our desires for the oil of awareness, the oil of gratitude, the oil of being placed with you in all things.

Keep our torches burning brightly so that we might not miss your coming, your presence, your invitation each and every day.

Reflection

Saint Paul tells the Thessalonians to “conduct yourselves to please God”, and, “not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister”. (I Thessalonians 4:1-8)   The Psalms states, “The heavens proclaim his justice.” (Psalms 97:1, 2, 5-6, 10, 11-12)  And in Matthew, Christ tells the parable of the ten virgins.  Five are prepared and five are not ready for the arrival of the bridegroom.  Jesus warns us, “...stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:1-13)

All over the world, the economy is in the toilet and people are worried about what the future holds (me included).  In my opinion, this economic collapse is due to greed, plain and simple.  Material greed, political greed; you name the greed, and humanity suffers from it.  Yeah, fix the economy, but don’t you dare touch my stuff!  Christ’s model of generosity and humility seems to be lost.  Making money is a good thing, but it sure shouldn’t be the end goal.  

To try to be like Jesus is a life-long task.  It isn’t something that just all of a sudden happens.  It starts with a relationship with Christ.  And then it requires work—lots of work.  It’s kind of like preparing for a race.  As my wife and kids will tell you, you can’t just show up after eating a banana split and run 5 miles.  You have to work and train.  You have to be prepared.

All religious experience is prepared for.  How do we prepare?  We need to go out and buy the oil that will keep the lamps burning as we await the Bridegroom.

What then is this oil? It’s compassion, kindness, thoughtfulness, prayer, good works that support those around us, a focus on the eternal while working in the present to help those around us. The oil is supplied by God in abundance and we need do nothing other than be willing to accept it. This oil will keep our light burning out strong in a world that is progressively darker. We can await the Bridegroom and light the world with the light that God gives us. All we need to be is willing and ready.

One grace builds upon another.  When I take a deep breath and turn to God in my heart, even momentarily, the choices I make have more potential for being grace filled.  When I reflect upon the depths of the mystery of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, the mystery of death is not frightening but freeing.  When I beg (every day) for the grace to love my spouse, my children, my parents, my friends, and my colleagues more selflessly, all kinds of new graces flow forth.  When I consciously gather the struggles, conflicts, joys and desires of my week, they prepare for a Sunday celebration so much fuller than just "walking in cold, to fulfill my obligation."  When I open my hands and ask for a growing desire to be servant, to hear the cry of the poor, to let my life reflect the coming of God's reign, then God will provide plenty of oil for a torch that is Light itself.

I was messing around on the ‘net this evening and came across this web site.  I’ve been alive well over 21,000 days (and still counting, thank God!).  And I have never had a day where I wanted for food, clothing or shelter.  And yet I worry about my retirement.  Why is that?  Why am I not more trusting of God?  Why don’t I conduct myself to please God?  Why am I not out buying more oil?  After all, it’s free!

Stay awake!

Prayer for the Day

“Father, fill my heart with more of Your love. Help me to move in Your peace and patience today, alert to what You want me to do for You.”

Reflection

When I was growing up, great emphasis was placed on what is called the “work ethic.”  This means doing the job at hand, not looking too far down the road, and trying not to get too distracted by extraneous thoughts or temptations.  If you’re digging a ditch, or picking fruit, or re-building an engine, or painting a house, or even balancing a checkbook you know what the end result should be.  But if you don’t concentrate on the details, or the steps to get there, you will not end up where you thought you would.  It’s also important to keep at it—the work won’t get done without effort.

So too with the end days, whether it be of our personal lives or the world itself.  Those events will happen.  We know that as a fact.  But if we lose sight of the details, the journey, the “how” we pick the fruit today, or apply the paint, we won’t end up where we planned, but somewhere else.

Jesus is encouraging us to have a “work ethic”, when He says, "You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." (Matthew 24:42-51)

Are you prepared? Are you doing the work the Lord has given you to do today? Stop and think a minute. As soon as you're done reading this, what is it that the Lord has given you to do next? Perhaps change a diaper? Finish a report? Wash some dishes or laundry? Read a chapter of a textbook? Say a rosary?  Send off that charitable donation? Only you and He know what it is.  So get to it!  And whatever the task is, do it well!  That’s the best way to evangelize!